Method of rendering earth materials solid



March 18, 1941. c. s. ACKLEY METHOD OF RENDERING EARTH MATERIALS SOLID Filed April 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l C. S. ACKLEY March 18, 1941.

METHOD OF RENDERING EARTH MATERIALS SOLID Filed April 22, 19557 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 harles INVENTOR 5 Ackleg l T ORNEY iii Fill

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bondin r ta Wit other 8. dchiey, lien iorir, M. ii.

Application, p, :1

at, rear, serial us, learn h enaaa (or. ilifii this invention relates to a method oi rendering earth materials solid, and particularly to such a method wherein a zone at the earth materials is heat treated prior to injecting a bondina medium thcreinto.

"the present invention is applicable to the method oi my application for U. S. Patent, Serial he. raises died April it, 1937, entitled Method at solidiiyine porous earth materials. its use is not, however, restricted to such method.

in solidifying earth materials preparatory to construction operations, or for the prevention 01 hour oi undereround water courses, it is necessary that the earth the capable oi receiving a medium. This necessitates first the presence, throughout the earth materials to be treated, oi'adequate unrestricted pore passages tin-ouch which the bonding material may didusc.

in the case at naturally porous earth materials such as loose sands, iractured roclt, or soil, the iuliiliment at this requirement is inherent in the nature or the materials. In the case oi clay, either in a unitary deposit, or stratiiled between layers oi other material, the natural dense struc ture must be rendered pervious to the handing medirun.

li here there is an excess of natural earth moisture present in inherently porous materials, as ior instance in uuichsand, it is necessary that the pore passages be cleared of liquid beiore dihlnsion oi the bondiny medium therethronah can be eiiected.

The present method is designed to aiiord com-- plete conditioninn oi the none at earth materials heiore injection oi the bondine medium. l or this purpose, a center oi intense heat is estab lished at a stratea'ic location, or several centers oi intense heat are established at mutually spaced stratealc locations within the acne oi earth ma terials to be solidified. l reierahly such centers oi intense heat maintain their heatin gradually dirninishinrr quantity ioliowing initial eneranina'.

The initial temperature'may be suilicient to tune a portion oi the surroundine siliceous earth ma terial.

ii the material concerned is clay or partly clay, a center oi intense heat established therein trill cuisine of adjacent clay resulting in a dry, porous structtne.

l iherc the earth materials concerned are naturally porous and contain an excess oi moisture, asin the case oi uuiclrsand, a center oi intense heat will convert the liquid to steam eiiectiny diiiusion oi same radially oi the center and a consequent elimination or liquid irorn the pore passages oi the adjacent materials toaether with the heating oi such materials.

Where the earth materials are naturally porous, but normally moist, the center oi intense heat will edect dryina oi adjacent earth radially thereoi and heatina oi same by conduction. In the case oi the presence oi excess moisture in the earth materials and the consequent sen eration of steam adjacent the center or centers oi intense heat, it is desirable that suction he created at one or more locations adjacent the boundary oi the zone to be solidified, for direct ing the flow oi steam throughout the zone and Withdrawing the condensate therefrom. it may be desirable to create such suction in all cases for enhancina the spread oi heat throughout the none.

Following the initiation oi the intense heat, the bonding medium is injected into the tone prepared ior its reception and diiiusion. Molten sulphur is advantageously the bondina' medium employed because of its comparatively low melt inc point, extremely lorv decree oi viscosity, and

' remarkable mobility in penetrating and didusiny throuahout pore passages. 'i'he molten sulphur solidifies comparatively rapidly, is tenacious as a binder when solidified, and in its solidified state resists any dislntecratina edect oi corrosive soil Waters. it is thereiore especially edectiye in the iorlnation of hard firm earth conelornerates havina high compressive strength and suitable as a ioinidation ior' purposes oi construction. However, other materials capable oi iunctioniniy as a hinder and having similar characteristics in a liquid and solid state as sulphur has in its molten and solidified states, respectively, may be employed.

During inflection oi the bondina medium it is desirable that suction be maintained at one or more locations adjacent the boundary oi the tone beina treated for enhancing diiiusion oi the handing medium throuahout the zone and tar limiting the extent at diffusion.

.Tihe center or centers oi intense heat are and yantaeeously had by use oi the Well lenovrn ma terial Thermit.

""lherrnit is an ienitabie mirture oi iron aside and iinely divided aluminum. it is an inert rninture up to a temperature oi coco" i at that temperature the aluminum ignites with the oxygen oi the iron oxide and sets the iron tree as super-heated liquid at a temperature oi soon i The ignition point, i. e., 2800" it, may he at lid tilt

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tained by use of a mixture having a considerably lower ignition point, but capable ofdeveloping the required temperature 2800 F. Suitable fuse means may be employed to ignite the intermediate mixture.

In the present case, a suitable quantity of the material Thermit is incorporated in a cartridge which is preferably waterproof. Provision is made for "firing the cartridge, 1. e., igniting the Thermit, from its exterior. This is had advantageously by electric lead wires extending into the cartridge and connected to an electric heating element disposed within an ignition mixture of aluminum and barium peroxide segregated within the Thermit" mixture. A cartridge is planted at a strategic location or several cartridges are planted at mutually spaced strategic locations within the earth zone to be solidified, the electrical lead wires extending to the surface for connection with a source of electric current.

'Ignition of each cartridge results in the creation of approximately 5000 F. of heat at the cartridge location, the free molten iron collecting together with melted siliceous material, upon congealing, will establish a thermal center maintaining radiation, which slowly decreases in intensity for an extended period of time. Thus, requisite preconditioning of the adjacent earth materials and maintenance of the desired thermal conditions during the injection of the bonding medium, is effectively accomplished.

Referring to the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 illustrates a'particular condition of a portion of the earths crust which requires solidifying treatment before becoming adequate as a foundation for building construction. Apparatus for accomplishing a specific procedure in the application of the present method is illustrated at a preliminary stage of the method. The view is a vertical section taken on the line i-l, Fig. 5;

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrated subsequent stages in the practice of the method;

Fig. 4. represents a vertical central section through one embodiment of Thermit" cartridge pursuant to one aspect of this invention; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the relative positions of the various component pieces of the apparatus employed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawings, at H), see Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 'is illustrated, in vertical section, a portion of the earth's crust requiring solidification before becomin adequate as a foundation for a building or as a footing for other construction. The portion of the earths crust H], in the present case, includes a surface stratum lfia of porous earth materials, an intermediate stratum lflb of dense clay, and a lower stratum we of quicksand. It is intended that a zone ll, see especially Fig. 5, 0f the earth's crust 50 be solidified.

In effecting such solidification, the casings l2 are sunk in bore holes drilled at suitable mutually spaced locations surrounding an injection zone Ha. In the present case they bottom within the stratum mo of uicksand. A Thermit cartridge l3, hereinafter described in detail, is dropped to the bottom of each casing l2, as by means of electrical lead wires, designated collectively it. The casings are then raised to a new planting position, here located within the clay stratum Nib. Normally, the earth material will cave in around the planted cartridge as the casing is raised. If this doesn't occur, the cartridge may be buried by dropping a suitable filler, such as sand, on top of it through the casing.

It may be desirable in certain cases to drop a quantity of magnesite sand, or other suitable heat resisting material, to the bottom location, and to fashion such sand into substantially cup formation before positioning of the cartridge. This will insure retention of the molten iron in the form of a pool.

A second set of cartridges l3 are dropped to the bottoms of respective casings I! at the new bottom locations in the clay stratum,'the casings thereafter being raised to bottom within the new bottom locations in stratum Illa, and the sinking of the casings l2 and successive planting of the cartridges i3, injection pipes l5 maybe jetted or otherwise driven from the surface of the earth within the zone i la bounded by the casings [2. Likewise, well points i6 may be jetted or otherwise driven from the surface of the earth at suitable spaced locations surrounding the injection pipes l5 and the casings I! to de fine the outer boundary of the zone I I.

The cartridges l3, see Fig. 4, advantageously comprise a charge H of the well-known material Thermit enclosed within a preferably waterproof covering l8. Disposed within the charge H is a secondary charge IQ of a suitable ignition mixture, such as powdered aluminum and barium peroxide, conveniently segregated within the cup container i9l. Extending into the cartridges from the exterior thereof, are the electrical lead wires M, the contact ends thereof being connected to the respective ends of an electrical heating element 20, such as nichrome wire, coiled about a core 2!, preferably of asbestos paper.

The cartridges are fired in timed sequence from the bottom set upward, the duration of the time intervals between successive firings depending upon the circumstances. Usually injection of the bonding medium adjacent the respective locations of cartridge placement will immediately follow each successive firing.

Firing of the cartridges I 3 results in the creation of centers of intense heat, approximately 5000 R, which radiate outwardly through the zone H. The free molten iron and any melted siliceous material will collect,- and will coagulate as they cool, see the formations 22, Fig. 3. Heat radiation from these formations 22 will gradually decrease in heat intensity, meanwhile continuing heat radiation throughout the adjacent earth materials.

In the present case, it is assumed that the stratum inc represents quicltsand. The well points l6 mutually spaced around the boundary of the zone H may be provided for the purpose of maintaining suction at such locations. For

this purpose the respective well points are con- Either before, simultaneously with, or after aosaeos 3 nested. as by means oi the respective flexible hoses Ii, to a vacuum pipe line (not shown) leadin; to a suitable exhaust pump. Creation of intense heat by tiring oi the lower set oi carii tridges it will convert the moisture content of the uicksand to steam. Creation and maintenance ofsuction at the well point locations will effect dewatering oi the stratum lilo and di-- rected fiow-oi such generated steam throughout iii the stratum portion of zone H, into the well points. Ii,- for removal through the hose 23 and connected piping.

During the maintenance of suction at the well point locations, sulphur or other suitable bonding l5 medium in a molten condition is injected through the injection pipes l6. Diffusion and flow thereoithrqflah the tenuous port passages of the dewatered and heated quicksand lllc are enhanced and directed toward and into the well points 20 ll.- Cold natural earth moisture will be drawn by the well points from the earth material surrounding the zone iiin a flow directed oppositely to the ilow of bonding medium. The two oppositely directed flows meeting at the boundary lo- 7 25 cations will determine the extent of diflusion oi the bonding medium throughout the earth materials.

During, or after the treating of stratum iflc, the second set of cartridges is disposed in the clay so stratum llb may be fired. The intense heat,

and maintenance of such heat in gradual diminishing quantities at the cartridge locations, will eii'ect drying, cracking and coking? of the ad- Jacent clay material thus rendering it pervious as to flow of bonding medium.

The injection pipes l5 and the well points it may be raised for treating the naturally porous earthstratum Illa, in like manner as that of stratum lie.

46 In this way, solidification of the zone ll of earth materials from the lowest point of treatment therein to the desired location thereabove may be had. The stratum illc, now solidified, will be bonded to the upper stratum Illa, now solidii lied, the coked and solidified portions otthe clay stratum iilb.

In placing the various well points and injection pipes relative to the planted cartridges i3, due regard should be had to the extent of heat 80 diiiuslon through the earth materials adjacent the cartridges IS. The placement must be determined by experiment in each case. The pipes, however, must be 'sufliciently beyond the heat range of the tired cartridges to be eil'ectively ll protected fromtemperatures capable of melting the steel from which the pipes are fabricated It will be understood that the illustrations of the drawings and the description thereof are spe- U iclilc to only one procedure in carrying the general method 01 this invention into effect, and that materials analogous to Thermit may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. The generic as cts oi the invention are set forth herein and in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of heat treating earth materials 5 which contain an excess 0! moisture comprising planting a charge of an ignitable mixture of finely divided aluminum and iron oxide within such earth materials, igniting such mixture; establishing suction at one or more locations removed 10 from the resulting center of radiant heat for directing the flow oi. generated steam throughout, and the removal thereof from, a zone of the earth materials being treated.

2. A method of solidifying and conglomerating earth materials which contain an excess of moisture, comprising planting a charge or charges of thermit within such earth materials, igniting the thermit, creating suction at one or more locations removed from the resulting center of radiant heat for the purpose of directing flow of generated steam through, and the removal thereof from, a zone of the earth materials being treated, and introducing into the said earth materials, adjacent the center of radiant heat thus created, a molten bonding material having the property of solidifying on setting.

3. A method of solidifying and conglomerating earth materials comprising planting within the earth materials to be solidified and conglomerated a charge of an ignitable mixture of finely divided aluminum and iron oxide, igniting said mixture, and thereafter introducing into the said earth materials, adjacent the location of the ignited mixture, a molten bonding material having the property of solidifying on setting.

4. A method of solidifying and conglomerating porous earth strata which are separated by a stratum of relatively non-porous earth materials, comprising planting a charge or charges of thermit within said stratum of relatively non-porous jearth materials, igniting the thermit, and injecting a bonding material into said porous earth strata and into the treated portions of said nonporous earth stratum.

5. A method of solidifying and conglomerating porous earth materials containing an excess of moisture, which comprises effecting an exothermic chemical reaction within the said earth materials, in situs, by planting a charge or charges of thermit within said earth materials, and by ignitin the thermit to generate heat of a sufficiently high temperature to convert a considerable quantity of the said excess of moisture into steam; creating suction at locations substantially surrounding said thermit for defining a. definite earth zone and for enhancing diffusion of said generated steam and for withdrawing the condensate thereof; and introducing a molten bonding medium into said zone while maintaining said suction.

CHARLES S. ACKLEY. 

